Womens' Health

Perimenopause Bleeding

Alcie:
After being without a period for 14 months I suddenly got one this spring. I am in my late 40s. I went to the GYN and had the usual test which revealed good results. My doctor advised me that I should have a DNC / Hysteroscopy to make sure there are no problems. Is this surgery necessary if the pap test revealed a clean slate?

Alcie, I had a mirror image of your problem, with the same advice from my doctor. the hysteroscopy showed no abnormalities or problems, but my gyn suggested a hysterectomy, since in his words I was past child bearing. When I talked to my mother she hit the roof, and said why would a doctor advice you to remove a perfectly healthy uterus just because of menopause. At that point it had never been discussed(menopause). My doctor had said the lack of a period was due to stress, and that it's return indicated a return to normal. I only had one more period that lasted a day or two. I was 48 at the time and thought I was too young for menopause.A second doctor's opinion was tha a pap smear cannot always be relied on to show a problem.

Not a doctor, but after seeing a program and a doctor who specifically
handles this problem, and having myself gone through severe heavy
bleeding, I took a simple herb. It is called chaste tree berry or
"vitex". My periods were much less severe and less
cramping. No side effects. This doctor is in Scottsdale, an
OBGYN, and sorry I don't remember his name, but many women were opting
for the hysterectomy, and were able to postpone surgery or not have it
at all. He prescribed 80 mg of chaste tree berry per day, and
many women improved. The kind available in health food stores is
less, so I only took one per day and never noticed any side effects (I
am not on any other medication).

Ah, the crazy periods. Yes you can go through a couple of months without a period and then have a heavy flow the next month. Watch for heavy flow volume; you become very tired due to loss of iron. Take calcium supplements.

Hello. I am experiencing things in the body that I am very un familiar with. I just turned 38 in July. My DR says that I AM TOO YOUNG for this. I have had 6 miscarriages, 1 stillborn, 2 live births. I have also had cervical cancer therapy. I just had my last cycle for 2 days starting on Aigust 29th. I NOW HAVE ANOTHER CYCLE.. Help me please... The pain I have daily in my ovary. Can somone out there please advise me what to do??? Thank you...

You may be experiencing premenopausal symptoms. Are you on a vitamin supplement? For the last 7 years I took Black Cohosh vitamins. I blended soy milk and a banana, sometimes putting in 1 tbs of yogurt to create a shake. Now I am taking BodyBuilder supplement to detox my system.

Back in 1989, when I was just 25, I had my Nov. period around Thanksgiving & a wk later was spotting. Having just moved to the area 6 wks earlier, I went to the OBGYN that my sister-in-laws all recommended. From doing a simple procedure of an external sonogram, he was able to tell me that I had cysts on my ovary & that they should go away with my next period. If I didn't have one, then I was to go back & if it had increased in size, it would have to be surgically removed. That period did arrive & all was ok at the time. I'm 42 now & have had trouble with re-occuring ovarian cysts throughout the years, which come & go, & have been monitored by the 2nd & 3rd OBGYNs that I've seen since moving to this county back in 1989. (The 2nd one, who I met the day I was in the ER suffering the micarriage of our first pregnancy in 1992, & who delivered our son in 1993, has since retired. I've been under the care of my current OBGYN for around 4 yrs now.)

Get your DR to do a sonogram, & if necessary have a transvaginal (inside the vagina) one done also. This one gets in there closer for a better view. My current OBGYN has the equipment to do this right in his office. DON'T WAIT! Many years ago, aunt had a cyst the size of a grapefruit that had to be surgically removed!

Good Luck & Take Care of Yourself!

(I fogot to mention, that I'm still having my period, like clock-work, every 4 wks (minus 2 days, usually), & the only possible "perimenipausal symptom" that I might have is increased duration of PMS irritability. Previously, it was only 2-3 days, now the last 2 wks get progressively worse!)

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:verify here.

Advertising Notice

This Site and third parties who place advertisements on this Site may collect and use information about
your visits to this Site and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of
interest to you. If you would like to obtain more information about these advertising practices and to make
choices about online behavioral advertising, please click here.